skype alternative?
 

we had everyone back home install skype, and it just ain't happening. we tried to make one call and it dropped about 12 times. then when we finally get through there was such a huge delay it make the chat really hard work.

are we doing something wrong? or is there something better instead?

thanks :)

Re: skype alternative?
 

Hi Townies 5,

we had a similar issue with Skype. The only thing that ironed it out was to increase the broadband speed. If you're trying to talk to the UK via dial up you can pretty much forget it. Unfortunately as I'm sure you know, Aus is a bit backward when it comes to broadband, charging silly money for increased speeds with other conditions placed upon the user such as limiting the amount you can download/upload (which is what you're doing when using Skype) and "throttling you back" if you go over this amount.

I'm guessing you've tried Windows Live messenger?


Dave.

Re: skype alternative?
 

Similarly, If you are looking for an alternative, I would use Windows Live Messenger - works much quicker for us! :)

Re: skype alternative?
 

We use a brilliant system.

Its similar to skype but is like PAYG

Its called a PHONE ! :)

Prices start at 1p a minute ! Even I cant rack up more than 50c a month in bills

Re: skype alternative?
 

Videophone, is it sir?

Re: skype alternative?
 

I've tried Skype twice, admittedly yonks ago, but both times we got severe echo and was told to use a mic and headphones as we was using speakers and was caused by feedback.

I also didn't like the way I got a clear line with friend over in Israel, yet it was crap with a mate 20 mins down the road! ... :rolleyes:

Yeah said before but I pay £40 roughly for the same service friends in the UK pay a measly £6 for through Sky! ... :curse:

Yeah same here. 'Go Talk' calling card and pay 4c min to the UK.

NO echo and all good! ... :thumbsup:

Re: skype alternative?
 

Re: skype alternative?
 

We use a Linksys Skype wireless phone. And we pay (shock horror:eek:) for Skype Out, so we can ring our family in HK and UK on their ordinary phones. Using the linksys phone on our end means we can wander around while we are talking, and it gets rid of the nasty echo of shouting into a computer microphone with speakers beside it. And being able to call normal telephones means we don't have to get our pension age relatives to try to figure out how to sign up for Skype!

It works just like an ordinary phone, and costs about 2 cents a minute to the UK, and the quality is good, as long as we stay within about 20 metres of the linksys base, which is plugged into a USB port on the PC.

We used to use different types of phone cards, but I was getting frustrated with them, as they were always busy when I wanted to use them, we could only ring the UK outside peak hours. No problems like that with this setup.

Oh and to the person who said the costs of broadband here is expensive. I don't really see that. We have cable broadband with 12Gb allowance a month at 17 Mbps, for $59 a month. In the UK we had unlimited access at 1.5Mbps for 23 pounds. (23 times exchange rate of 2.4 = $55) So for $4 more we get 11 times the access speed, and we have never hit the 12Gb limit yet. Even if we did its only $10 more for 25Gb.

JTL

Re: skype alternative?
 

Who's that with? ... altho 12gig won't last long in this house ... :(

In the UK Sky will give you an 8meg line with 40gig of usage for a measly £6pm

Now THAT can't be bad!

Still makes me ... :curse: tho! ... :o

Re: skype alternative?
 

Telstra.. though I think you can get the same kind of deal if you have everything (mobile, cable tv, home phone and broadband) with Optus.

How would 12Gb not last long??:confused: Are you downloading movies nightly or something?

I regularly download old UK tv shows from Stage6 and I haven't run over 12Gb.

JTL

Re: skype alternative?
 

Ahhh, once bitten with Bigpoo and can't go there with their upload counting with data ... :curse:

This'll explain I guess.

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...otos/usage.jpg

4 pc's and yeah I do download a fair bit, but the kids don't exactly go easy either.

A gig a day on average!

Re: skype alternative?
 

Re: skype alternative?
 

YOU'RE well in the green (so to put it!) ... :thumbsup:

Re: skype alternative?
 

I can't believe anyone stops you from using bandwidth... I just hope the UK has stopped this barbaric practice by the time I get home.

They tried to stop you using dialup by charging per minute for the phone call, now they try to stop you using broadband by charging per bit. Ridiculous!

Re: skype alternative?
 

Yea I know - bloody Xmas has put me off the old download schedule. One day to make up 8Gb! Time to get that Stargate box-set down ... :D

Re: skype alternative?
 

A gig a day :eek: Jeez, thats scary, in my mind I always think in terms of 1.4Mb floppy disks. You download 750 floppy disks of data a day:eek::rofl:

(Oh and a correction, our Telstra used to be $59.95 for the 8Mbps service, its now $69.95 for the 17Mbps service.)

On the plus side, everything you download from Telstras sites dont count towards the limit. I tried their movie downloads over christmas, downloaded '300', and it went smoothly and I could start watching it within about 5 minutes of starting the download and I had it for 3 days, and watched it a couple of times more.
(3 days I spent trying to circumvent the DRM, but couldn't :p).

Ahh, Telstra aren't great, which is why I said to check out Optus as well, but Telstra were our only option, as they have the cable that runs to our house, no-one does ADSL in our area.

And back on topic, it may be if you have a fast Broadband connection, Skype works very well (as in our case), or it may be if you pay for 'Skype Out' it works very well. All I can say is, Skype is what we use to ring our families in Hong Kong and UK we are very happy with it.

JTL

Re: skype alternative?
 

They don't 'stop' you, but will slow you to 64k after you've hit your limit, and some ISP's will include your upload data with your monthly allocation! ... :ohmy::curse:

Yeah that's the good bit about being a bit slack once in while, I remember dl a discography overnight once, about 6gig ... :D

Re: skype alternative?
 

Our Usage..

Re: skype alternative?
 

Hi
Depends on how far u live away from phone exchange, its 8meg when u live on top[ of the exchange and it reduces the further away from the exchange, I checked up and my 8 meg would be nearer 2 to 4:curse:

Re: skype alternative?
 

Hello

Have found this whilst browsing for our move, http://www.truphone.com/welcome.tru. Though I have not registered and used it I wonnder if anybody else on here has any experience of this that they could share on this forum.

Regards

Mark

Re: skype alternative?
 

I use Truphone on a Nokia e65 on three works no problem and with 500mb a month on X Series I have plenty of data to use it and its free.

We also have the Telstra international thing $10 a month for $.02 calls to the UK and $10 credit. Wife likes using the home phone.

Re: skype alternative?
 

we use skype i would say its great i spoke to my brother in NSW at midnight new years eve and you would of thought he was in the other room

Re: skype alternative?
 

Yep, i use skype too. Never had a problem. Sounds great too, you just need the right gear. Try using a headset with a USB connection, not the 3.5mm jack plug ones. Mine is logitech.

Good luck.

Jazzys

Re: skype alternative?
 

Bigpoo! ... booooooooo!

See, your upload counts in your data allowance and that's just crap! ... :thumbdown:

Sorry mate, but I HATE Bigpoo with a vengance!

Agreed, but I cued up all of the 'Wanted down under' episides last night and before I left for sleep was getting 700 odd kb/s ... which is good enough for me! ... :thumbsup:

Re: skype alternative?
 

agreed, i gave up with skype,it never worked from day one

Re: skype alternative?
 

Hi

There is a great alternative to skype called " Voip Stunt " Not very many people know of this and is a great product. Works exactly like skype download the software and install it on your PC. This software however lets you call I think it is 36 countries including the UK, USA, Australia etc to landline phones in those countries free of charge. I think you get about 200 minutes worth of calls without having to pay. After that if you want more you pay $10 and this gives you 30 days of calling to these destinations landline phones free of charge.

Hope this helps

Tex

Re: skype alternative?
 

Thankx for all that info, think i am now more lost than i was to start with tho!
As i am a bit of a techno phobe.

i have been using something called ja jah for free phone calls back home, but the grannies insist on the webcams to see the kids.

if both parties are registered on ja jah you ring through the pc but speak on the phones with no charge. you don't have to install anything.

we have been using a logitech webcam with an inbuilt microphone for the skype, the downloads speeds are ok. think i will give windows live a shot.

cheers!